1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a fluid injecting apparatus which can suitably inject a solvent for forming an image to an image recording material such as a light-sensitive material, an image receiving material and the like and a method of manufacturing a fluid injecting apparatus.
2. Description of the Related Art
An image forming apparatus for performing an image recording operation by using two kinds of image recording materials, for example, a light-sensitive material and an image receiving material is known.
A solvent application portion for forming an image having a tank storing a solvent for forming an image which is used for application to the light-sensitive material is disposed within this kind of image forming apparatus, and further a heat developing and transferring portion comprising a heating drum and an endless pressing belt pressed into contact with the outside of the heating drum and rotating with the heating drum is disposed within the image forming apparatus.
A light-sensitive material on which the image is exposed while being held and conveyed within the image forming apparatus is soaked in the tank in which water acting as the image forming solvent is stored at the image forming solvent application portion, and is fed to the heat developing and transferring portion after the water is applied thereon. On the other hand, the image receiving material is fed to the heat developing and transferring portion in the same manner as the light-sensitive material.
In the heat developing and transferring portion, the light-sensitive material after the water is applied thereon is put over the image receiving material and in this state wound around the outer periphery of the heating drum while in close contact thereto. Further, both materials are transferred between the heating drum and the endless pressing belt while being held therebetween, and the image is transferred to the image receiving material at the same time as the light-sensitive material is heat developed, so that a predetermined image is formed (recorded) on the image receiving material.
However, in the case where the light-sensitive material is soaked in the tank in which the water acting as the image forming solvent is stored, once the water comes into contact with the light-sensitive material, it becomes constantly stored in the tank. As a result, bacteria using traces of organic material released from the light-sensitive material as a nutrition source grow in the tank so that the water is made dirty. There is thus a risk of the image forming apparatus itself deteriorating and the image quality dropping.
Accordingly, a method in which the water supply side, such as the tank, is not in contact with the light-sensitive material, and a nozzle plate disposing a plurality of nozzles in a line is vibrated by an actuator so that small water drops are injected from a fluid injecting apparatus corresponding to an atomizer to the light-sensitive material and is applied thereto has been thought of.
Then, when mounting the actuator to the fluid injecting apparatus, the idea of pressing the actuator into the gap within the fluid injecting apparatus so as to be mounted has been thought of.
However, when the fluid injecting apparatus is filled with water, bubbles tend to adhere to the inner wall, and bubbles entering from the nozzles along with injected water drops adhere to the inner wall of the fluid injecting apparatus and remain there. Accordingly, there is a risk of pressure loss through bubbles and deterioration of atomization is generated during the atomizing operation of the fluid injecting apparatus, causing blocking of nozzles.
Because of this, portions free of water appear on the light-sensitive material, so that uniform coating of the light-sensitive material is difficult.
Further, in the case where the structure that the nozzle plate having the nozzle holes is disposed between a pair of lever mechanisms in such a manner as to extend thereover and water drops are injected by displacing the nozzle plate by means of an actuator, a space for freely swinging the lever mechanism is required in the fluid injecting apparatus. As a result of this, unevenness exists on the inner wall surface of the fluid injecting apparatus and bubbles adhere easily to the inner wall surface, so that the deterioration in atomization occurs even more easily during the atomizing operation of the fluid injecting apparatus.
On the other hand, the bubbles can be inhibited from adhering to the inside of the fluid injecting apparatus by making the cross sectional shape of the inner space of the fluid injecting apparatus close to that of a cylindrical and circular tube shape. However, in the case where the inner wall surface which makes the inner space of the fluid injecting apparatus a sealed structure is formed smoothly and made so that the cross sectional shape is similar to a circular tube, it is hard to increase the surface characteristics in places where bonding between the elements constituting the fluid injecting apparatus, for example, a portion connecting the lever mechanism and the fixed wall portion and a portion connecting the lever mechanism and the nozzle plate.
On the other hand, since it is necessary to control the temperature of the fluid injecting apparatus with a heater in order to adjust the water within the fluid injecting apparatus at predetermined temperatures so as to stabilize the image quality, the fluid injecting apparatus itself is thermally expanded in correspondence to the temperature control, so that the sizes of places where the actuator is pressed change such that they are different from the sizes at the time at which the actuator is mounted. As a result, the displacement amount which is transmitted to the nozzle plate from the actuator is changed. This is a problem; the total displacement amount of the nozzle holes which is necessary for injecting the fluid cannot be obtained.
Taking the above described facts into consideration, the first object of the present invention is to obtain a fluid injecting apparatus which can uniformly apply an image forming solvent to an image recording material and a method of manufacturing a fluid injecting apparatus. Further, the second object of the present invention is to obtain a fluid injecting apparatus which can secure the displacement amount of nozzle holes necessary for injection even when the temperature is controlled and a method of manufacturing a fluid injecting apparatus.
In accordance with the first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a fluid injecting apparatus comprising an injecting tank disposed in opposition to the transfer path of an image recording material and storing an image forming solvent;
a filler filled within the injecting tank and forming an inner wall surface of the injecting tank with a smoothly curved surface;
a nozzle plate disposed in the injecting tank as a part of a wall surface of the injecting tank in opposition to the transfer path of the image recording material, having a plurality of nozzle holes for injecting the image forming solvent and injecting the image forming solvent from the plurality of nozzle holes through movement of the holes back and forth; and
a spacer member disposed at the back surface end of the filler and constituting a part of the injecting tank in opposition to the plurality of nozzle holes.
With the above image forming apparatus, the following functions can be achieved.
The inner wall surface of the injecting tank is formed by the smoothly curved surface of the filler and the spacer member disposed at the back surface end of the filler constitutes the part of the injecting tank in opposition to the plurality of nozzle holes. Then, the image forming solvent is stored within the injecting tank and the injecting tank is disposed in opposition to the transfer path of the image recording material.
Further, the nozzle plate in which the plurality of nozzle holes for injecting the image forming solvent are disposed is provided in the injecting tank as a part of the wall surface of the injecting tank in opposition to the transfer path for the image recording material, and the nozzle plate is oscillated back and forth so that the image forming solvent is injected from the plurality of nozzle holes.
Accordingly, it is believed that the bubbles are attached to the wall surface of the injecting tank when the image forming solvent is loaded into the injecting tank, and that the bubbles enter the injecting tank from the nozzle holes together with the injected image forming solvent since the nozzle holes are provided in a part of the wall surface of the injecting tank. However, since the inner wall surface of the injecting tank is formed by the smoothly curved surface of the filler, the bubbles ascend within the injecting tank and leave the injecting tank without being attached to the inner wall surface of the injecting tank and being stored there.
Accordingly, since the pressure loss occurring when bubbles are compressed in the atomizing operation does not take place, deterioration in atomization which results in the image forming solvent not being injected from the nozzle holes does not occur, so that portions where the image forming solvent is not attached are not generated on the image recording material.
Further, at the time of manufacturing the fluid injecting apparatus in accordance with this aspect, it is possible to perform a process for increasing the surface characteristics of the bonding portions between the injecting tank and the nozzle plate from the open portion of the injecting tank to which the spacer member should be entered, before disposing the spacer member in the injecting tank. Further, since the filler is previously adhered to the spacer member before being disposed in the injecting tank and the filler forms the smoothly curved inner wall surface of the injecting tank, the surface characteristics of the inner wall surface of the injecting tank are not affected by the bonding portions between the members.
Accordingly, it is possible to set the cross sectional shape of the inner space of the fluid injecting apparatus to be similar to a circular tube shape while at the same time improving the surface characteristics of the bonding portions between the members constituting the fluid injecting apparatus so as to smoothly form the inner wall surface of the injecting tank.
In accordance with a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a fluid injecting apparatus comprising an injecting tank disposed in opposition to the transfer path of an image recording material and storing an image forming solvent:
a nozzle plate disposed in the injecting tank as a part of the wall surface of the injecting tank in opposition to the transfer path of the image recording material and having a plurality of nozzle holes for injecting an image forming solvent;
a displacement transmitting member connected to an end portion of the nozzle plate;
a supporting portion disposed between the wall surface of the injecting tank and the displacement transmitting member and supporting the displacement transmitting member in such a manner as to swing freely;
a spacer member constituting a part of the injecting tank in opposition to the plurality of nozzle holes;
an actuator disposed at a position of the displacement transmitting member in correspondence to the plurality of nozzle holes with respect to the supporting portion in a contact manner and swinging the displacement transmitting member around the supporting portion so as to press the image forming solvent within the injecting tank by means of the nozzle plate connected to the displacement transmitting member; and
an elastic member filled in a portion between the spacer member and the displacement transmitting member, elastically deformed so as to swing the displacement transmitting member around the supporting portion and filling a space between the space member and the displacement transmitting member so as to make the inner wall surface of the injecting tank a smoothly curved wall surface.
In accordance with the above image forming apparatus, the following function can be achieved.
The injecting tank storing the image forming solvent is disposed in opposition to the transfer path of the image recording material. The nozzle plate having the plurality of nozzle holes for injecting the image forming solvent is disposed in the injecting tank as a part of the wall surface of the injecting tank in opposition to the transfer path of the image recording material, and the spacer member constitutes the part of the injecting tank in opposition to the plurality of nozzle holes.
Further, the displacement transmitting member connected to the end portion of the nozzle plate is supported by the supporting portion in such a manner as to swing freely and the actuator swings the displacement transmitting member around the supporting portion, so that the nozzle plate connected to the displacement transmitting member presses the image forming solvent within the injecting tank.
The elastic material filled in the portion between the spacer member and the displacement transmitting member elastically deforms at a time of oscillation of the displacement transmitting member around the supporting portion so as not to prevent this swinging motion. Then, the elastic member fills the space between the spacer member and the displacement transmitting member so as to make the inner wall surface of the injecting tank the smoothly curved wall surface.
Accordingly, since the displacement transmitting member is swung around the supporting portion together with the operation of the actuator, the portion on the nozzle plate in correspondence to the plurality of nozzle holes is displaced so that the image forming solvent filled in the injecting tank is injected from the plurality of nozzle holes.
Together with this, it is believed that the bubbles enter the injecting tank from the nozzle holes. However, since the inner wall surface of the injecting tank is made of the smoothly curved wall surface by the elastic member, the bubbles rise within the injecting tank and leave the injecting tank without adhering to and accumulating on the inner wall surface of the injecting tank.
Accordingly, since pressure loss along with compression of the bubbles during the atomizing operation does not occur, the deterioration in the atomization due to image forming solvent not leaving the nozzle holes does not occur. This means that the portion where the image forming solvent does not adhere to the image recording material does not appear.
As a result of this, it is possible to apply the image forming solvent to the image recording material uniformly.
Further, when manufacturing the fluid injecting apparatus in accordance with this aspect, as in the same manner as that of the first aspect, it is possible to perform a process for increasing the surface characteristic of the bonding portion between the injecting tank and the nozzle plate from the open portion of the injecting tank to which the spacer member should be entered, before disposing the spacer member in the injecting tank. Further, since the elastic material is previously adhered to the spacer member before being disposed in the injecting tank and the elastic material forms the inner wall surface of the injecting tank to be a smoothly curved surface, the surface characteristics of the inner wall surface of the injecting tank are not affected by the bonding portion between the members.
Accordingly, as in the same manner as that of the first aspect, it is possible to process in such a manner as to set the cross sectional shape of the inner space of the fluid injecting apparatus to be similar to a circular tube shape while increasing the surface characteristic of the portion bonding between the members constituting the fluid injecting apparatus so as to smoothly form the inner wall surface of the injecting tank.
In accordance with a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of manufacturing a fluid injecting apparatus which oscillates a nozzle plate having a plurality of nozzle holes so as to inject an image forming solvent stored within an injecting tank from the plurality of nozzle holes, comprising steps of:
a step of disposing the nozzle plate in the injecting tank; and
a step of thereafter disposing a spacer member to which a filler having a smoothly curved surface is adhered in a portion of the injecting tank in opposition to the nozzle holes so that the filler forms an inner wall surface of the injecting tank.
In accordance with the above method of manufacturing a fluid injecting apparatus, the following function can be achieved.
After disposing the nozzle plate having the plurality of nozzle holes in the injecting tank, the spacer member to which the filler is adhered is disposed in the portion of the injecting tank in opposition to the nozzle holes so as to constitute the portion of the injecting tank in opposition to the nozzle holes by the spacer member. Accordingly, the filler having a smoothly curved surface can form the inner wall surface of the injecting tank.
Further, the image forming solvent stored within the injecting tank is injected from the plurality of nozzle holes disposed in the nozzle plate by oscillating the nozzle plate of the fluid injecting apparatus constructed by the above manner.
Accordingly, since the spacer member is disposed in the portion of the injecting tank in opposition to the nozzle holes of the nozzle plate after disposing the nozzle plate in the injecting tank, it is possible to perform a process of increasing the surface characteristic of the connecting portion between the injecting tank and the nozzle plate from the open portion of the injecting tank in which the spacer member should be inserted before disposing the spacer member in the injecting tank.
Further, since the filler can be previously adhered to the spacer member before being disposed in the injecting tank, the filler can be easily formed in such a manner as to have a smoothly curved surface, so that the inner wall surface of the injecting tank can be easily formed by the smoothly curved surface of the filler. Accordingly, even in the case that the injecting tank itself is constituted by a plurality of elements, since the filler forms the inner wall surface of the injecting tank to be a smoothly curved surface by disposing the spacer member in the portion of the injecting tank in opposition to the nozzle holes, the surface characteristic of the inner wall surface of the injecting tank is not affected by the bonding portion between the elements.
Accordingly, it is possible to process the cross sectional shape of the inner space of the fluid injecting apparatus in such a manner as to be similar to a circular tube shape while smoothly forming the inner wall surface of the injecting tank by increasing the surface characteristic of the portion connecting between the elements constituting the fluid injecting apparatus.
In accordance with the above structure, in the fluid injecting apparatus manufactured in accordance with this aspect, since the bubbles are not attached to the inner wall surface of the injecting tank and not stored there, the deterioration of the atomization in which the image forming solvent is not injected from the nozzle hole is not generated, so that the portion to which the image forming solvent is not attached is not generated on the image recording material. As a result, it is possible to evenly apply the image forming solvent to the image recording material.
In accordance with a fourth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a fluid injecting apparatus comprising an injecting tank storing a heated image forming solvent, a nozzle plate disposed in the injecting tank as a part of a wall surface of the injecting tank and having a plurality of nozzle holes for injecting the image forming solvent and an actuator for oscillating the nozzle plate,
wherein a mounting space for mounting the actuator is formed in the injecting tank and the actuator is made to have a size smaller than the mounting space, and
wherein the actuator is mounted and fit ted to the mounting space by charging an adhesive to a portion between the injecting tank and the actuator which are respectively heated to a temperature higher than a temperature of the heated image forming solvent and hardening.
In accordance with the above fluid injecting apparatus, the following function can be achieved.
The heated image forming solvent is stored within the injecting tank, for example, the injecting tank is disposed in opposition to the transfer path of the image recording material. The nozzle plate having the plurality of nozzle holes for injecting the image forming solvent is disposed in the injecting tank as a part of the wall surface of the injecting tank opposing to the transfer path of the image recording material, and the actuator oscillates the nozzle plate, so that the image forming solvent is injected from the plurality of nozzle holes.
Further, at a time of assembling the fluid injecting apparatus, the actuator formed to be smaller than the mounting space provided in the injecting tank is disposed within the mounting space, and the adhesive is charged into a gap between the injecting tank and the actuator and is hardened at a temperature higher than the temperature of the image forming solvent to be heated, so that the actuator is mounted within the mounting space.
Accordingly, the injecting tank is thermally expanded in accordance that the image forming solvent to be heated is stored, however, since the actuator is mounted within the mounting space by the adhesive hardened at a temperature higher than the temperature of the image forming solvent without being pressed, the displacement amount of the actuator can be securely transmitted through the adhesive even when the injecting tank is thermally expanded, so that a displacement amount for oscillating the nozzle hole necessary for injecting the image forming solvent can be obtained.
In accordance with a fifth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of manufacturing a fluid injecting apparatus in which an actuator oscillates a nozzle plate disposed in an injecting tank for storing a heated image forming solvent so as to inject an image forming solvent from a plurality of nozzle holes disposed in the nozzle plate, comprising:
a step of disposing the actuator, which is formed to be smaller than a mounting space formed in the injecting tank in a recessed manner within the mounting space;
a step of next charging an adhesive into a gap between the injecting tank and the actuator which are in a state of being heated to a temperature higher than a temperature of the heated image forming solvent; and
a step of hardening the adhesive in a heated state.
In accordance with the above method of manufacturing a fluid injecting apparatus, the following functions can be achieved.
The actuator is mounted to the mounting space by disposing the actuator formed to be smaller than the mounting space formed in the injecting tank in a recessed manner within the mounting space, by charging the adhesive into the gap between the injecting tank and the actuator which are in a state of being heated to a temperature higher than a temperature of the image forming solvent stored within the injecting tank and heated, and by hardening the adhesive in a heated state.
Then, the fluid injecting apparatus assembled in the above manner is operated so as to inject the image forming solvent. However, at this time, the actuator oscillates the nozzle plate disposed in the injecting tank so as to inject the image forming solvent from the plurality of nozzle holes disposed in the nozzle plate.
Accordingly, in the same manner as that of the fourth aspect, the injecting tank is thermally expanded while the image forming solvent to be heated is stored. However, since the actuator is mounted within the mounting space by the adhesive hardened at a temperature higher than the temperature of the image forming solvent without being pressed, the displacement amount of the actuator can be securely transmitted through the adhesive even when the injecting tank is thermally expanded, so that a displacement amount for oscillating the nozzle hole necessary for injecting the image forming solvent can be obtained.